ABSTRACT
Three interrelated questions are posed. First, what is the significance of culture for theories of institutional resilience and vulnerability? Second, what are the cultural possibilities for organizational safety and learning? Third, can a theory of institutional vulnerability to disaster and crisis be translated into one of practical resilience? The chapter explores these issues with reference to Barry Turner's seminal Man-Made Disasters (MMD) model of system vulnerability together with more recent extensions and critiques. The MMD model holds both a central historical and contemporary relevance for disaster and crisis research. Organizational cultures may be organized to enhance imaginations about risk and safety. The original MMD text raised for first time many key issues taken for granted in our developing theoretical understanding of organizationally induced crises and vulnerability to disasters. The chapter concludes on a more critical note, arguing that efforts to support organizational learning, and through this to improve safety culture, must confront a number of political dilemmas of institutional design.
